Christmas food kids enjoy

babe3babes, Oct 20, 6:15am
We have 25 for lunch on Christmas day and this year is the first time I've hosted. Out of the 25 there are 16 are childrenor teens. What are some ideas for Christmas foods that your children enjoy or that you enjoyed as a child! Not looking for dessert ideas, thats easy, but more main course or nibbles ideas. TIA

evorotorua, Oct 20, 7:36am
I always feel a bit mixed about this. Kids just want to have fun and often don't care if it is special Christmas food or not. However, it may be important to you to instill traditional Christmas fare. Generally my philosophy is to give them what they want to eat and they will be happy. This in turn makes the day easier for the adults as well. So having said that, most will eat roast potatoes, bread, lettuce, tomato, cucumber (seperate out so they can pick and choose) They like corn on the cob too. Then they can have chicken nibbles or beef kebabs which are easy to eat. By having a buffet style, everyone can get what they want. Keep it simple and it will be fun. Kids are generally full up with all sorts of other food during the morning so they will not feel like a full on meal. If they do, they can just take more. If you are having a big fancy meal for adults the kids can join in if they want. I know you don't need dessert ideas but don't forget ice cream in cones. Get the cones with the flat bottoms and you can send them all outside with their dessert if lunch is going on a little long, as adults are prone to do! Above all, enjoy it. (also remember tomato sauce!)

evorotorua, Oct 20, 7:37am
Sorry if that is a bit rambly! I also have a jar of Nutella in the cupboard for the one who just wants a sandwich. There's always one.

poolgirl6, Oct 20, 7:39am
Meringues are always well loved.

babe3babes, Oct 20, 8:26am
thanks for the thoughts They are all great ideas. It will be a fantastic backup to put a jar of nutella on standby. Chicken nibbles- yes and corn on the cob-excellent all of it great stuff. Just want them to be happy and parents able to relax with happy kids= happy parents too!

duckmoon, Oct 20, 9:14am
roasted vege salad. it means that you can cook the night before and have it cold (freeing up the oven for other things).

My kids love it. (10 & 7)

babe3babes, Oct 20, 9:51am
do youhverecipie for that please!

kob, Oct 20, 6:40pm
we always have 20-30 people on xmas day, and we start the table off with platters of nibbles, chippies and dip, cheseball and crackers, peanuts both salted and honey roasted, thats it till lunchtime then the table(well tables) gets cleared and set up in pretty in xmas fashion and party drinks go on for the kids with a bunch of lollies besides their palte sittings and for the adults they get a wine glass and a few roses chocolates, thats it in terms of presets and then the big tummy filling dinner with all the traditional trimmings and a huge dessert then its a fight for 25-30 bodies to fit on 6 beds and 3 sofas lol to rest up for the night feed lol

gaspodetwd, Oct 20, 6:44pm
My children have asked me for smoked salmon pâté and sausages. With lots of salad and Chippies! I agree with you - if the kids eat food they like, the adults can relax.
I plan on cooking a chicken the day before to eat cold. And doing lots of cold or reheat type food.

cgvl, Oct 20, 9:14pm
for that number we do a BBQ. Steak, sausages (get the breakfast ones then you don't need to pre cook them), meat patties, bacon, Ham staeks and chicken if you want.
Lots of salads: generally a green salad, then seperate platters with tomato, cucumber, cheeses etc on and of course other salads such as the roast vege one. The small bread buns work well too, and make sure lots of condiments.

The men do most of the cooking and in some cases a lot of the prep as well . we find it great to give them the vegies to prepare as they then sit around with a beer in one hand and will peel a sack of potato's in no time at all.
Above all don't stress, just enjoy.

sarahb5, Oct 20, 9:44pm
Our kids always eat the same as we do - and always have done - but we always have a very traditional Christmas dinner regardless of how many of us there are but the expectation is that the kids will eat what they want and leave what they don't.We usually have some form of seafood as first course - usually a platter of mussels, crayfish, smoked salmon, prawns, etc. then turkey with all the trimmings and a choice of desserts - last Christmas I did tiramisu, pavlova, fresh fruit salad and fruit mince pies.Whilst the adults drink champagne I always get the kids sparkling grape juice and give them champage glasses as well.

daleaway, Oct 20, 10:49pm
We switched years ago from a sit down roast to a self-serve mixed buffet and everyone contributes a dish or two, hot or cold - so everyone gets what they want.

(Believe me I would not choose to eat tuna/pasta salad for Christmas lunch but that's what a relative makes for her boys, because they ask for it.)

You then don't have to remember any of the dislikes, because they do their own avoiding, but you should remember to include a few favourite things (Aunty likes anything with ginger, Peter munches through cashews like a front end loader, etc) to allow for plenty of choice.

sarahb5, Oct 20, 10:56pm
Yes I think if I was catering for 25 on Christmas Day I would be asking them to contribute at least some nibbles for sharing.If we host dinner I do the first course and main, and friends bring dessert.